I got back from International Quilt Market in Houston on Monday. Quilt Market was founded in 1979, and I’ve been going since 1994. That’s a long time and I’ve seen lots of changes in the industry over the years. The industry continues to change with the times. We’ve seen times of prosperity and times of adversity. Yet, quilting continues to thrive. I came back inspired and optimistic about where our industry is headed. Here is just a bit of what I saw.

Michael Miller Fabrics. During its Schoolhouse presentation, co-owner Kathy Miller talked about color trends in the real world. Navy is the new black. Olive green is a new comfort color. Gold is big as throwback to the 1890s, 1990s and early 2000s. Nice blue greens show up as neutrals. We are also seeing richer colors. Kathy also shared an exciting new product. Michael Miller Fabrics has partnered with EZ Fabrics, designers of Minky, to offer a new line of its prints on a Minky.

Read more…

Beyond Neutral: Quilts Inspired by Nature’s Elements 
John Q. Adams
Martingale; $24.99

For long-time quilters, neutral meant muslin, off-white, cream or white fabric. Maybe you might venture to a light gray. At some point, quilters used black as a background. Neutral did not mean a color. In Beyond Neutral, John Q. Adams created 16 original quilt where he used the colors of nature as his inspiration for his neutral – no cream or white here. He organized his quilts around the themes of wind; earth; water; leaves and grass; and lava, coral, and stone. I loved the movement and freshness of his quilts. Some of my favorites: Canyonlands, inspired by a flock of starlings in flight with a peachy tan as a neutral; Katmai, which had its roots in a traditional block that kept growing; and Pacific Crest, with its image of flying birds on a navy background. You’ll find lots of inspiration in the book and you will look at neutrals differently, whether that is in using John’s patterns or your own creation.